Feature:

Great Places To Refuel After A Workout

What you eat after your workout is just as important as the workout itself. We’re not sure if that’s actually true, but we’re going to go with it.

And because there are 25 Equinox clubs in New York alone (plus 5 more coming this year- 2 by summer, 3 more this fall) you’re never too far away from an awesome post-workout refuel. Here are some of our favorite spots across the city to get after them.

DOWNTOWN

You just took an 11:30AM Pursuit class and now the last thing you want is to let all that work go to waste with a pancakes-and-hash browns stuffed brunch. But, it’s Saturday morning, so you definitely still need brunch. Your move is Egg Shop, where you can order a dish whose name will match your workout attire: The Spandex. The combination of egg, quinoa, avocado, and carrot is highly tasty - but should you feel the need for an egg sandwich, you can get one here that won’t make you feel like you need a nap afterwards.

We all wish we could be bicoastal (or just live in California), and now that El Rey exists it’s a little easier to pretend that that’s our lifestyle. El Rey serves the kind of food you imagine people might eat in close proximity to the beach, in a tiny but still pleasant space that’s great for a solo meal post-workout. Get anything with avocado on it, park yourself at the counter looking outside, and keep the endorphin party rolling.

We can’t promise it’s true, but we’re pretty sure Mulberry & Vine was created in order to serve the just-worked-out-and-need-food-immediately crowd downtown. The basic premise here is protein plus sides or just sides, but whether you eat meat or not you’ll be very happy with your options. And if you and your friends have a post-workout lunch tradition, rest assured there’s plenty of seating here for a crew. Friends that workout (and then eat) together, stay together.

midtown

If your regular schedule involves an early morning workout in Midtown (we recommend The Cut, Equinox's killer new martial arts/boxing class) before rushing to the office, do yourself a favor and start carving out an extra few minutes of time to hit Little Collins in between the two. It’s one of our favorite coffee shops, in part because it’s run by very friendly Australians, and also because they serve relatively healthy food all day. Whether you’re craving something savory or sweet for a post-workout breakfast, Little Collins has you covered.

Or maybe you’re more of a post-work workout kind of person. If you’re looking for something quick, healthy, and to-go-able after a trip to the gym in Midtown, strongly consider Little Beet Table - it’s easy, tasty, and highly satisfying.

Uptown

Vegans and sometimes-vegans who hang on the Upper West Side: Peacefood Cafe needs to be in your rotation. This is the ideal casual spot to reward yourself after a workout of any kind - whether you completed a Precision Running class or did some very hard stretching. The chickpea fries are excellent, and if you’re feeling especially healthy, the salads are great too. But whatever you do, don’t miss the vanilla cake. Just trust us on that one.

So, you’re meeting your friends for brunch after the gym, but don’t want to request for the fifth weekend in a row that you go to that dairy-free/meat-free/sugar-free place they hate? Go to the East Pole, order the all-veggie macro plate, and let your friends have at whatever usual brunch foods they want. And just like that, you’re officially the most accommodating friend of all time.

brooklyn

Sad takeout salads are all too common, but Sweetgreen is the exception to that rule. These are the very best on-the-go salads that exist in NYC, and now that both Sweetgreen and Equinox will be open in Williamsburg, your go-to post-workout meal in the neighborhood is pretty much decided for you. Try one of their seasonal creations or make your own - you really can’t go wrong here.

Tough workouts deserve the best rewards. And our ideal reward is excellent food. After a weekend workout in Dumbo, you can’t do better than brunch (preferably on the patio) at Vinegar Hill House. The food might not be the healthiest you can find, but everything here is incredibly fresh, delicious, and satisfying. Go ahead and live a little.